


Ride The Vibrations

by knifelesbian



Series: There Will Be Sun [3]
Category: Runaways (TV 2017)
Genre: Domesticity, F/M, HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOJO LIGHT OF MY LIFE, enjoy this!, hehehehehehe, parenting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2018-11-09
Packaged: 2019-08-21 04:42:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16569860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knifelesbian/pseuds/knifelesbian
Summary: ;) enjoy this!





	Ride The Vibrations

**Author's Note:**

> hehehe i wrote this fic for my girl jojo happy birthday angel!! love u

Gert is feeling lonely as hell right now.

 

Chase and Joey are visiting his mother this week, and she’s been adrift in the wind ever since she left them at security in the airport. She can’t sleep, and she’s been basically waiting by the phone whenever she isn’t busy, hoping for a call. She’s been doing her best to keep herself occupied this week, but it’s hard. She misses her husband, and she missed her baby- even if Joey would probably throw a fit if she heard Gert calling her that. She’s only just turned two, but she always gets pouty when anybody brings attention to how little she is. It’s adorable, really- her tiny, three apples high toddler wanting to be a grown-up, just like Mom and Dad.

 

God, she’s so glad they’re coming home tomorrow. If she has one more sleepless night she might just collapse right in front of the whole class. That happened, once, when she was first pregnant with Joey and didn’t know it yet. It was totally scary- but they’re going to be back tomorrow, so all she has to do is get through one more night without them. 

 

But, for now, she’s at school, playing a movie for her Career class because she’s too tired to teach. To be fair, Dead Poets Society  _ does  _ have a good message, and it’s one of her favourite movies of all time, so it’s not  _ all  _ because she’s lazy and sad.

 

She spends the rest of the day waiting for her last period prep. It’s a Friday, so this is, like, a golden opportunity to leave early. This almost  _ never  _ happens, and she would be so excited...if only her family was here to enjoy it with her. Usually when this happens, they go get ice cream. Joey always makes such a mess of it, which, in some way, is good, because she always needs a bath after, and Joey loves the bath more than soup loves salt. 

 

The bell to end fourth period starts to ring, the sound so jarring she physically shakes herself out of her daydream and back to her class full of ninth graders, who’d been jittering out of their seats all throughout the documentary on the Cold War.

 

She packs up, pulling on her thick wool coat and grabbing her bag once she’s sure everything is done for the day. It’s getting cold out, so much so that they got some snow on Tuesday. Not a ton, but enough that it made Gert wish Joey was home, so they could watch it fall together. Well, she wants her home, anyways, but you get the drift.

 

Gert drives home with her hands gripped on the steering wheel, trying not to get overwhelmed by how much she misses them. It’s severe separation anxiety, and she knows that, but she can’t make herself stop. Can’t make herself stop worrying that something’s going to happen, and she’s not going to be there, and they’ll need her, and, and,  _ and _ . It’s driving her insane.

 

She parks in the driveway, working on autopilot as she walks up the path. Gert passes underneath their sycamore marriage trees as she goes, and while they usually cheer her up- nothing says true love like traditional conjoined trees planted by the previous owners when they got married, right?- all they do is make her sadder. But Gert treks on, heading up the front steps to unlock the front door and open it. She steps inside, hanging up her jacket and letting her bag fall from her hand and onto the floor.

 

And that’s when she hears her husband’s voice from the kitchen. 

 

She doesn’t have the presence of mind to register who he’s talking to- all she knows is that he’s here, he’s  _ home _ , and that she needs to be hugging him right the fuck now. 

 

Gert rushes down the hallway, turning the corner into the kitchen and jumping into Chase’s arms. He laughs, caught off guard as she squeezes him tight, pressing her face into his chest. “Hi, honey, you’re home early.”

 

She sniffles, squeezing tighter. “I could say the same to you, you big jerk. What happened to ‘We can’t come home until Saturday’?”

 

Chase presses a kiss to the top of her head. “I wanted to surprise you. I was  _ going _ to make dinner, but- wait, are you crying?”

 

Gert sniffles again, letting out a muffled, “No.”

 

“Liar. What’s wrong, sweetheart?” He’s rubbing his hand up and down her back, and, fuck, Gert has missed him. 

 

She looks up at him, tears streaming down her face. “I just missed you guys so much. A week was too long, okay? I can’t- you can’t- not again. I couldn’t sleep, Chase.”

 

Chase moves to cup her cheek, and she leans into his touch. “I’m sorry, love. You should’ve told me, we could’ve come home early-”

 

“No, Chase it’s- it’s fine, really. You’re here now. That’s what matters.”

 

He grins at her, then leans in and presses a hard kiss to her forehead. “Joey’s napping, by the way. I knew you were going to ask, so.”

 

Gert snorts. “No, Chase, I completely forgot about our daughter. That’s definitely what happened.”

 

“Oh, buzz off. You gonna let me go, now?” 

 

“Wow, that fast, huh?” She sighs dramatically, letting him go. “I can’t believe all those people saying you’d get sick of me were right-” 

 

“Oh my god, Gert-”

 

“No, no, I get it,” Gert says theatrically. She’s trying desperately to keep a serious face, but it’s not working all too well.  “Oh! I should’ve seen this coming, I should’ve  _ knooown _ , oh, woe is me-  _ mph!” _

 

Chase cuts off her dramatics with a kiss, pulling her back to him with his hands at her hips. Gert giggles into his mouth, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. She’s missed this. Missed  _ him _ .

 

Chase clearly feels the same, from how quickly the kiss escalates. One moment it’s just an innocuous welcome home smooch, the next, he’s pushing her up against the counter, kissing her so intensely that she can’t even remember her own name.

 

And then Joey starts crying over the monitor, and they split apart, both panting. 

 

Gert shakes herself a little, meeting his eyes. “Continue this later?”

 

Chase gives her his sharpest smile. “Definitely.”

 

She winks at him, then heads to Joey’s room, excited to see her daughter. 

 

As soon as she enters the nursery, Joey stops crying, her little face making an abrupt change from miserable to overjoyed. “Mommy!”

 

“Hi, lovey,” Gert coos as her daughter starts to jump up and down in the crib. She makes her way over to pick her up, holding her close. “I missed you.”

 

Joey giggles. “Missed you too!! Missed you too!!”

 

Gert presses her face into her daughter’s curls, breathing in the scent of baby powder and Johnson’s shampoo. “Did you have a good time, darling?”

 

Joey nods against her chest, then starts babbling sort of nonsensically. She doesn’t have a full range of speech yet, but Gert still nods along like she understands, even if she only catches every second word. 

 

Gosh, she’s missed this. Missed her daughter, missed her husband, missed having them in arm’s reach like this. It felt wrong, almost, to be without them for so long. Going to work, or whatever, that’s fine- being without them for a time, that’s not the issue, for her. The issue is that she wants them to be here to come home to. She wants to always have them only a ten minute drive away. She can be there for them, then. They can be there for each other. 

 

~~~~~

 

Chase is putting Joey to bed earlier than usual tonight, because travelling always makes her sleepy, and a tired daughter is not a happy daughter. They’re planning to go to the aquarium tomorrow, all three of them, and it wouldn’t be any fun if she’s cranky.

 

“Do you want me to read you a bedtime story?” Chase asks as they rock back and forth in the rocking chair. Their routine is the same as every night- change her into her pyjamas, get her some warm milk, and then settle down in the rocking chair until she falls asleep. 

 

Joey yawns, then says, “New story.”

 

“A new story? Joey, I’m not such a great storyteller-” his daughter starts to sniffle, upset. She even whips out the puppy dog eyes, knowing they’ll get her what she wants. Chase, of course, complies. “Aw, don’t cry, honey. Okay, okay, um...Once upon a time…”

 

For a moment, he draws a blank- and then he realizes what the perfect story to tell her is. “Once upon a time, there was a lonely little prince who didn’t like his life. He didn’t like his friends, the noblemen, for they were bullies, who liked to pick on others they believed themselves better than. He didn’t like jousting, or hunting, and much preferred spending time in the gardens, much to his father’s chagrin. And he certainly didn’t like how alone he felt- with no one to love him, and no one to go on adventures with, the little prince was never seen wearing a true smile.” 

 

Gert comes in, then, leaning against the doorway with a warm grin on her face. Chase smiles at her, then continues the story. “But one day, a mysterious knight came to town. She was beautiful, with flowing violet hair and a smile that could light up a room, but that’s not what the prince liked about her. He liked her for her confidence, and her boldness when she asked him to accompany her on an adventure.”

 

“Where’d they go?” Joey asks in a yawn. He looks up and locks eyes with Gert, who’s looking at him with such love that he thinks his heart might burst. 

 

He turns his attention back to Joey. “Oh, everywhere. They saw glorious cliffs, and great waves crashing on the sand, and even Paris, once.” He hears Gert giggle. “They were best friends, and loved each other so much that they were full to the brim with it.”

 

Joey yawns again, looking like she’s only moments from sleep. “And after that?”

 

He looks up at Gert, meeting her eyes with a grin. “Well, I married her, of course.”

 

~~~~~

 

As soon as they’ve put Joey to bed, Gert drags her husband to the bedroom, shutting the door behind them and immediately pushing him up against it as she crashes their lips together in a searing kiss.

 

Chase laughs into her mouth, his hands roaming over her robe. His fingers sneak over her hip and up her side to untie the silk length of fabric keeping the robe closed. He does so, the robe falling open and revealing the- well,  _ absence _ of any clothing that doesn’t qualify as lingerie. He pulls back from the kiss, taking her in with an appreciative grin on his face. He trails his fingertips down her bare skin in a revelling kind of way, and Gert shivers.  _ Fuck. _

 

Chase hooks one of his fingers into the fabric of her panties, his knuckle pressing into her hipbone. “These are new.”

 

Gert lets the robe fall down her shoulders and drop to the floor, putting the matching bra (lacy and blue and 50% at Victoria’s Secret) on full display. She bites her lip as Chase sucks in a breath. “So’s this.”

 

Gert watches as his eyes trace every dip and curve of her body, drinking her in. He lets out a low whistle.  _ “Wow.” _

 

She smirks, enjoying that look in his eye that always means his knees are on the verge of turning to rubber. “Thanks, I try.” 

 

Chase laughs softly, then leans in and presses his forehead against hers. His eyes are closed, and for a few seconds, it’s quiet. When he does speak, his voice is low, barely above a whisper. “I really missed you, you know.”

 

She tilts her chin up to peck him on the mouth, tender in a way that she wasn’t a moment ago. “I missed you, too.” 

 

“Yeah?” 

 

“Of course, love.” Gert runs her knuckles along his cheekbone, gentle. “More than words can say.”

 

He grins sharply. “Find a dictionary, then.”

 

“Oh, what? You want specifics?” She wraps her arms loosely around his neck, tone teasing. “You want the nitty gritties, do you?”

 

“Well, I do love me some nitty gritties.” 

 

Gert laughs, enamoured as always by her husband’s dorkish tendencies. “Why don’t I just show you, hm?”

 

Chase bites his lip, looking her up and down with dilated eyes. “Please do.”

 

His voice comes out hoarse, and a little pleading. He’s even got that crease between his eyebrows that always means he’s two steps away from begging. Gert could make him beg, if she wanted. She could have him on his  _ knees _ . Hands behind his back and hanging on every word she says, just. like. that. 

 

But that’s not what she wants tonight. Tonight, she’ll be more than content with vanilla  _ I missed you  _ sex. It’s not like they won’t have ample opportunity some other time.

 

So, she leans in and presses her mouth to his, arms still wound around his neck as she pulls him closer. Chase lets out a happy little sigh, smiling into the kiss. His hands roam liberally, like he’s re-familiarizing himself. Gert would tease him if she wasn’t doing the exact same thing- as her fingers twist into his hair, she makes a note to tell him to get a haircut. It’s getting too long again, and Chase leans on the forgetful side when it comes to himself. For her and Joey, it’s above and beyond, but when it comes to haircuts, or ADD medication refills, or anything else, Gert always has to put it in the calendar. 

 

“What are you thinking about?” Chase asks softly as he starts kissing his way down her neck. “I can hear the gears turning. Is it the grocery list? I bet it’s the grocery list.”

 

Gert’s hand tightens in his hair as he starts sucking on a sensitive bit of skin right below her ear. “F-first of all, no, I went for groceries yesterday.”

 

“Really?” He asks, fingers dipping into her panties and inching closer and closer to where she wants- no,  _ needs-  _ him. “You hate grocery shopping.”

 

“Yeah, well, I was trying to distract- oh,  _ fuck _ .” Chase starts rubbing slow circles into her clit, and she all but loses the ability to think coherently. 

 

“No, go on, tell me,” Chase says, but Gert only gives a choked whimper in response, too overwhelmed by how good this feels.  _ Fuck _ . 

 

Her  _ asshole  _ husband withdraws his hand, smirking, and Gert groans in frustration. “You gonna tell me now?”

 

“F-fine. I went for groceries because I needed something to occupy myself with, a-and I was thinking about how you need a haircut. Are you happy now?”

 

She grabs his hand and tries to get him to start touching her again, but he just pulls back once more, still wearing that damned smirk. “I can believe you were thinking about how I need a haircut while we were making out.”

 

“Oh, shut up, will you? I missed you too much to deal with teasing tonight.”

 

His face softens, and he gives her that warm smile of his that’s always been just for her. “I missed you too, honey.”

 

She pouts at him. “Then stop teasing meee. Come on, Chase, my poor heart can’t take it.”

 

Chase snickers. “Yes, that poor heart of yours-”

 

Gert flicks him on the side of the head. “You’re doing it again. Either fuck me or don’t, asshole.”

 

Chase’s eyes go dark, and then he’s cupping her face in his hands and crashing their mouths together, pulling her as close as he can manage. Gert starts unbuttoning his dress shirt with sloppy hands, realizing it’s unfair that she’s the only one undressed, here. Lips not leaving hers, Chase tugs it off the rest of the way, impatient. She starts on his jeans, next, pulling down the zipper and pushing them down his thighs, where gravity starts to take over. Chase steps out of the jeans, then starts walking her towards the bed, but Gert is so distracted by his mouth on hers that she doesn’t realize what’s happening until the backs of her knees hit the mattress. 

 

She laughs into his mouth, then lets herself fall back onto the bed, dragging Chase down with her so he’s on top of her. He shifts on top of her, which Gert is grateful for, honestly- she’s not really in the mood for getting her ribs broken tonight. Plus, now he’s in just the right spot to start grinding against her, and it feels so fucking amazing that her eyes almost roll back into her head. 

 

Chase starts kissing his way down her chest, and Gert lets him get all the way down to her sternum before she’s pulling him back up again, needing his mouth on hers so bad that she doesn’t care about the details. 

 

Chase laughs against her lips, pulling back to ask, “Since when do you not want me to eat you out?”

 

Gert doesn’t respond, too busy studying his face. His hair is all messy from her running her fingers through it, and his lips are red, swollen. She reaches up, ghosting her fingers along his mouth. His lips curl into a smile as she does it, and for some reason, it makes her shiver. “I didn’t say that.”

 

He raises an eyebrow at her. “Gert, if you-”

 

“No, seriously, I just- I don’t know. I wanted you to kiss me again, I guess. It wasn’t because I didn’t want you to go down on me-  _ trust me _ , I do. I just…” Her face turns impossibly redder, embarrassed. “I missed your kisses.”

 

Chase grins wide. “You did?”

 

“Don’t teeease, it’s not niiice,” Gert whines, pouting at him. It’s utterly deranged of her, honestly, to be acting like this while wearing lingerie, but, whatever. She missed him, okay? She’s allowed to be a sap, just this once. 

 

He pecks her on the mouth, gentle, and the pouting all but melts out of her. “I wasn’t teasing, baby.” She makes a small whimpering sound, unable to stop her reaction to the  _ only ever when we’re in bed and literally not any other time _ pet name. He presses his mouth to hers again, and Gert hums into it, pleased. This time, when he starts kissing his way down her body, she doesn’t object.

 

He reaches her hips, and starts pulling down her panties with his  _ teeth _ , because he’s trying to cause death by arousal, apparently. She lifts up her hips, letting him tug them down, until she gets impatient and kicks them off the rest of the way. 

 

Chase huffs a laugh, pressing a soft kiss to the inside of her thigh. “Eager, much?”

 

“What did I say about teasing?”

 

His mouth goes to her pelvic bone, this time, noncommittally humming an answer into her skin as he starts sucking a hickey there. Gert’s fingers twist into his hair, revelling in the feeling- even if she kind of wants him to just get on with it. Like, sure, she wants slow tonight...but not  _ that  _ slow. 

 

Gert gets her wish only a few moments later, and fuck, does it feel good. He’s going at a leisurely pace, the languid movements of his mouth against her center seeming to tell her,  _ we’ve got all the time that we need.  _ It’s reassuring to know that he’s right- there’s no rush, tonight. There’s no urgency; just the two of them-

 

“Oh, oh, wow,” she breathes, jarred from her thoughts by his tongue swirling around her clit in a way that’s making her feel almost drunk on arousal. Her brain feels foggy, but in a good way- the  _ best  _ way. 

 

Gert reaches down, tangling her fingers with Chase’s where his hand is resting on her thigh. He squeezes, just once, and Gert squeezes back, letting out a contented sigh. “I love you.”

 

The words come out breathy and sweet, and Chase squeezes her hand again, saying it back without words. 

 

Her other hand twists into his hair as he picks up the pace, and it’s a wonder that she doesn’t accidentally give him a bald spot when she comes only moments later, the orgasm hitting her like a tonne of bricks. 

 

As she basks in the glowy after-orgasm haze, Chase starts kissing his way back up her body, slow and gentle, until he’s facing her again. He’s grinning like a fool, and his eyes are bright and crinkly in that way of his that’s been telling Gert since they were sixteen that he’s definitely going to have crow’s feet when he’s older. They’ve already started to form, a little, but of course they just make her husband even more handsome.

 

She reaches up and runs her fingers over them, then along his cheekbone before dragging them down to his mouth, ghosting across his lips. He presses a kiss to her fingertips, and Gert lets out a hoarse giggle. “I love you.”

 

“Yes, you’ve said,” Chase teases, and Gert sticks her tongue out at him. 

 

“Say it back, coward.”

 

A loud laugh erupts from him, clearly out of surprise more than anything. Still snickering a little, he leans down and presses a hard kiss to her cheek. “Of  _ course  _ I love you.”

 

“I know.”

 

“Oh, come on,” Chase says, wrinkling his nose, “don’t Han Solo me right after saying I can’t do the same! That’s not fair.” 

 

Gert tilts her face up, getting as close as she can without actually kissing him to murmur, “Maybe I don’t play fair.”

 

Chase lets out a shaky breath, then cups her jaw with his hand as he presses his mouth to hers. It’s more intense this time, more passionate, and from the erection pressing into her bare thigh, Gert knows what Chase is about to ask before he even asks it. 

 

So when he pulls back and opens his mouth to start rambling his way through getting to the point, Gert just nods an affirmation and starts tugging at his boxers, eager. 

 

Chase laughs as he kicks them off the rest of the way, amused. “Already knew what I was gonna say, huh?”

 

Gert nods, stifling a giggle. “Yep. I can read minds now, actually. New skill I picked up while you were away.”

 

“My wife, ever the academic.” He leans down to kiss her, and his mouth on hers is so damn distracting that it’s almost a surprise when he pushes into her, slow and easy.

 

Gert lets out a soft moan at the feeling of it, her hand sliding from his hair and down to his bicep, just so she’s got something to hold onto. Chase pulls away from the kiss to bury his face in her neck as he rocks into her at a languid pace that, while  _ awesome _ , still leaves her wanting more.

 

“You can-  _ oh _ \- you can s-speed up a bit, you know.” 

 

Chase hums against her neck, pressing a kiss into her skin before picking up the pace. Gert’s nails dig into his bicep, and she almost feels remorse at the likely outcome of her husband having scratches all over him tomorrow. Almost.

 

For a while, the only sounds in the room are soft moans and the rustling of bedsheets, but when Chase snakes his hand between them to start playing with her clit, Gert can’t help the strangled scream that erupts from her.

 

She slaps a hand over her mouth, eyes wide as Chase pulls back from her neck to look down at her with a raised eyebrow. “If that woke Joey,” he says, pausing to pant as he thrusts into her again, “I am blaming you.”

 

“I-it’s your fault,” she tells him, planning on elaborating- until Chase presses his thumb against her clit and she completely forgets what she was going to say. 

 

“Yeah? And how’s that?” His tone is teasing, but her eyes are shut, so she doesn’t see the smirk he’s surely wearing right now. 

 

Gert’s response is swallowed by a moan, so overwhelmed by how awesome this feels that she’s unable to form sentences. Chase huffs a laugh, then leans in and kisses her gently- or tries to, anyway. He misses, his lips on the corner of her mouth. Giggling, Gert reaches up to cup his face in her hands, messily crashing their lips together. Neither of them can focus enough on the kiss that it’s actually, like, good, but that’s not really what matters. And, besides, kissing Chase is always good. 

 

He pulls back from the kiss to rest his forehead against hers, and he’s grinning. Not in a blinding way- though she supposes that that’s false, since his smile could probably fight the sun and win- but in a soft,  _ I love you  _ way. She grins back, but it’s fleeting- she’s  _ so  _ close, and focusing on anything other than that right now is a total struggle. 

 

When Gert comes, it feels like swallowing a star. She sucks in a breath, caught off guard by this- this  _ implosion  _ that sets off in the pit of her stomach. She doesn’t know what it is that’s making this particular orgasm so absolutely fucking amazing, but she’s not gonna question it. 

 

Chase finishes a moment later, then pulls out, flopping down beside her. They both lie there for a while, panting, until Gert feels the stickiness between her thighs and turns to scrunch her nose up at him. Not that she particularly cares all that much in a serious sense, but it’s still annoying. “You couldn’t have been a bit less messy?”

 

He rolls his eyes at her. “Sorry, kind of got a bit caught up.”

 

Gert smirks. “Oh, is that what they’re calling it now?”

 

Chase snorts. “I think we’re probably both going to be making that joke well into our sixties. We’re going to get old and tired before it does.”

 

Gert grins, both at what he’s said and the idea of them growing old together. God, she can’t wait for that. They’re probably still going to be living in this house, but the sycamores will be stronger and bigger, and their kid(s?) will be grown, and they’ll have a whole gaggle of grandchildren. Chase will spend his days working on pet projects, and she’ll spend hers trying to learn a new language, or a new artsy skill, but they’ll always end the day the same way: together.

 

Chase reaches over and presses his finger into the tip of her nose, squishing it a little. “What are you thinking about?”

 

“How I need a shower.” Oh, God, she sounds like Squidward. “Wanna join?”

 

Chase huffs a laugh at her accidental Squidward impression, then moves his hand to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear. “Sure.”

 

~~~~~

 

It’s been three weeks since Chase and Joey returned home, but his mother is already asking them to come to visit again.

 

Objectively, it isn’t such a bad idea. Joey loves her grandmother, and it’s fun to play tourist and visit old friends while they’re in L.A.. But they can’t. He doesn’t want to worry Gert again- not because he doesn’t think she can handle it, but because he doesn’t want her to  _ have  _ to. 

 

Chase shakes his head, clearing his mind so he can focus on breakfast. It’s a Saturday, so he’s going all out- pancakes, sausages, the works. Joey will probably just end up eating the same as always- chicken noodle scrambled eggs and a pancake soaked in syrup- but more for him and Gert, right? 

 

He’s halfway through scrambling the aforementioned eggs when his wife pads into the kitchen, coming up behind him and wrapping her arms around his middle. When she speaks, it’s muffled. “Good mornin’.”

 

“Good morning, honey. You sleep well?”

 

“Not really,” she mumbles, and Chase frowns down at the eggs.

 

“Oh?”

 

“Yeah, I had-” she interrupts herself to yawn, “I had the worst stomach ache. It was gross.”

 

The frown deepens. “Are you feeling better now?”

 

Gert hums noncommittally, and Chase spends the next few minutes weaning out a, “No.”

 

“Have you taken anything?”

 

“Yeah, and nothing helped- I even tried a heating pad, but no dice.” She snuggles closer, and Chase squeezes her hand, trying to be comforting.

 

“Do you think it’s cramps?”

 

“Nah. but I’m sure I’ll be fine. Just...lazy day, okay?”

 

He squeezes her hand again. “Absolutely.”

 

~~~~~

 

So, Gert lied. It is like, the opposite of fine.

 

Not in a bad way, though, but more in a,  _ I had a suspicion and took a pregnancy test and guess who was right  _ way. So she’s kind of freaking out. Like, a lot. But she knows just who to call to make her feel better about it before she tells Chase- and this number is on speed dial. 

 

_ “Hey, Gertie, what’s up?”  _ Karolina asks, and Gert breathes a sigh of relief. She’s so glad Karolina picked up- she’s been so busy lately, and it’s been a time and a fucking half to get ahold of her. And, Gert gets it, she really does. She’s practically running that surf shop she works at, and apparently she’s gonna be in a movie??? So Gert gets it. But still.

 

“H-hi, Karo.”

 

_ “Woah, what’s wrong?” _ Karolina asks, tone worried.  _ “Are you okay? Do you need me?” _

 

Gert laughs wetly, amused by the idea of her friend hopping on a plane just because she was a little worried. “Nothing’s wrong, Karo. Like, the opposite, actually.”

 

_ “Oh?” _ She asks, voice curious.  _ “Meaning what?” _

 

Gert looks around the empty kitchen, as if the walls will eavesdrop on their conversation. Chase went to go get groceries, and Joey was just put down for her nap, so it’s not like she’s got anything to be worried about. 

 

She takes a deep breath, then whispers, “So, I took a pregnancy test.”

 

_ “OH MY GOD!!! OH MY GOD, YOU’RE- OH MY GOD!!!” _

 

Gert pulls the phone away from her ear, so as not to get an even worse headache from Karolina’s yelling. “Yeah, Karo.” Gosh, her excitement is infectious. Gert can’t stop grinning, now. “We’re having another baby.”

 

_ “Have you told him yet??? Have you??? You should. Oh, my gosh, this is the best news, I can’t wait to tell Nico, she’s gonna bust, oh, and expect some early baby gifts on your doorstep sometime soon, because-” _

 

Gert cuts her off with a laugh. “Karolina, babes, you’re getting ahead of yourself. I haven’t even been to see Dr. Cho yet, so-” 

 

_ “Ah, yes, your fancy pants doctor. Also, I take it this means you haven’t told Chase yet, either?”  _ Her tone is calmer, now, and a bit teasing, but there’s no getting rid of the sugary excitement that’s beneath it.

 

“No, but only because I want to do something cute- we didn’t get that last time, you know? Like, we were both so stressed out, and neither of us really knew what was going on until Doc Cho basically slapped us both upside the head with the news. So, I wanna surprise him, this time.” And she’s got the perfect idea, too. 

 

_ “Gertie, you are gonna make me  _ **_cry_ ** _.”  _ Gert doesn’t doubt it. Karolina all but burst into tears that time Gert dragged her baby shopping last time she was pregnant, and she didn’t stop crying for like, three days when Joey was born. Her friend is a total sap, and, like, extremely baby crazy.  _ “Why do you too have to be so sweet?” _

 

“That’s rich, coming from you. You could probably charm ice into melting.” Karolina laughs, but doesn’t contest it. Most likely because she knows Gert is right. 

 

“So, what’s your plan?”

 

“Well, actually, I was wondering if you could ask after Amy’s old Hot Cross Buns recipe? I didn’t- I didn’t want to ask Nico outright, because I knew she might feel a little off about it...but I thought it would be nice, to use her recipe. I don’t know, maybe it’s dumb-”

 

_ “No. No, it’s not. That’s- that’s wonderful, actually.”  _ Her voice is softer, now. “And I’m sure Nico would be glad to share it. I’ll ask her, and send it to you- but expect a bajillion well wishes from her, because there’s no way I’m not telling her why you need this recipe.”

 

Gert huffs a laugh. “Go right ahead.”

 

They say their goodbyes and hang up, and in the space of time it takes for Nico to send her the recipe, Gert texts Chase and tells him to pick up some things at a few different stores across town, so he’s gone for the right amount of time. 

 

Nico texts her the recipe, along with, as promised, about a bajillion well wishes. Gert messages back, thanking her, then gets to work. 

 

Just as she’s set aside the dough to proof, Joey toddles into the kitchen, dragging her blankie behind her and rubbing at her eyes. Gert walks over to her and leans down to pick her up, squeezing a little. “Hi, honey. Did I wake you up?”

 

“Not you.” Joey says sleepily. “Smells.” 

 

“Oh, the smells, huh?” She presses a kiss to her daughter’s curls. “Sorry, darling. I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

 

“‘S okay. What’s oven?”

 

Gert laughs, knowing Joey means,  _ what’s  _ **_in the_ ** _ oven?  _ Two year old speak is so endlessly entertaining. “Nothing yet, but Hot Cross Buns, soon.”

 

Joey wrinkles her nose. “I dunno those.”

 

Gert is quiet for a moment, taking in her daughter’s beautiful little face.  _ She’s gonna be a sister. We’re having another baby, and she’s gonna be a sister!!! _

 

Joey’s brows crease at Gert’s sudden grin. “What, Mommy?”

 

“Oh, nothing.”

 

Sensing that she’s being lied to, Joey pokes Gert’s cheek a few times, incessant. “Tell me. Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me-”

 

“Okay! Okay. I’ll tell you. I wanna ask you something first, though.” Joey nods, excited, and Gert asks, “How do you feel about being a sister?”

 

Joey cocks her head. “What’s a sister?”

 

“Uh,” Gert starts, struggling not to laugh. “Well, you know Aunt Molly? She’s  _ my  _ sister. It’s when two people have the same parents and grow up together. And they love each other very, very much.”

 

“Oh! Thas’ like the ducks.” Huh? What ducks?

 

“Joey, what?”

 

Joey throws her hand in the air, yelling right into her ear, “DUCKTALES!”

 

Gert winces, then says, “Uh-huh, yep, like Ducktales. So, what do you think? You wanna be a sister?”

 

Joey nods, excited. “Yeah!!! Wanna start tomorrow!!!”

 

“No, honey,” Gert says, trying not to laugh. “Babies don’t work that way- your new sibling has to grow, first.”

 

Joey frowns. “Where to? Can we watch?”

 

Gert giggles. “No- they grow in Mommy’s tummy, and don’t come out for  _ nine  _ months.”

 

Joey pouts. “Nine?”

 

“Yes, but it’s not as long as it seems. And we spend those nine months getting ready for them, so everything is ready for when they show up. And you can help Mommy and Daddy get ready for them, okay? You can be our baby expert.”

 

“Espert!! I like espert.” She’s smiling again, showing off two rows of pearly whites. 

 

Gert presses a hard kiss to the top of her head. “Good. that’s good.”

 

~~~~~

 

When Chase gets home, the house is filled with baking smells. It’s a little weird, seeing as Gert said she’d be taking it easy today, but maybe she’s feeling better.

 

He walks into the kitchen, and, surprisingly, it’s empty. A pastry box rests on the kitchen counter, and his name is scrawled across the top. He walks over to it, opening it up to find perfect rows of...Hot Cross Buns? Jesus, they haven’t had these in a long time. Did Gert bake them, or pick them up from the store?

 

He’s running through the possibilities when he sees what’s scrawled into the inside of the over, and everything just stops. It’s written in metallic blue ink, and it says,  _ we’ve got a bun in the oven! _

 

Holy shit. Holy shit, holy shit, holy- “Gert? Babe, you here?”

 

There’s a noise near the doorway, and he whips around to spot Gert standing there, wearing a bashful smile. “Hi, honey. Did you see the-”

 

_ “Yes.”  _ He points at the words, asking, “Does this mean what I think it means?”

 

Gert nods, and his face splits into a grin as he rushes over to her, scooping her up in a hug and twirling her around. They’re both laughing, overjoyed, and Chase isn’t ashamed to admit that he’s definitely crying. He can’t help it- they’d been talking about having another kid for a while, now, but to actually  _ get the news-  _ he feels like he’s going to explode from happiness. 

 

Chase sets her down, then kisses his wife full on the mouth. By all rights, it’s an awful kiss- they’re both grinning too hard for it to be anything else. But Chase doesn’t care. How could he, when he’s just learned they’re bringing another child into the world?

  
  
  



End file.
